There is no denying that things can get boring when you’re on a long car ride but it is a great way to travel so let’s try and make the best of it! These are tried and true things to do on a long car ride that will kick boredom out the window.
I am no stranger to long car rides, growing up we drove from Missouri to Utah every summer to spend a month or so with family. After getting married I have moved across the country FIVE TIMES and we drove our cars each and every time. I have driven with a puppy, a grown dog and nowadays I do lots of road trips with a baby in the car. All this to say, you better believe I have a few tricks up my sleeve to help the time pass a little faster.
Many of these things to do on a long car trip are only applicable to the passengers in the cars. Audio entertainment is the best option for entertaining the driver in my opinion. If you are driving with young children, check out the best toddler toys for road trips, they will hep pass the time for the tiny minds in the car.
Drive safe out there!
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1. Podcast
Long car rides are one of the only times I listen to podcasts but it is a great way to pass the time! I love the true crime podcast “My Favorite Murder”, though I will warn you there is some bad language in it.
There is a podcast on just about every subject imaginable from business to dating to blogging. What are you passionate about? Is there anything you’ve been wanting to learn more about but never feel like you have the time? There’s probably a podcast.
There are even podcasts for kids if you want the whole family to enjoy a podcast together!
2. Music
Prep ahead of your trip and make a fun road trip playlist full of your favorite songs that everyone can sing along with. I find singing along to music one of the best ways to keep from feeling drowsy.
3. Talk
Talk to each other! You can talk about topics like goals or deeper subjects like moral or political questions. I love using get to know you questions, you can find whole lists of dating questions from pinterest that are perfect. They usually bring up fun, interesting topics as you go through them. Plus, you may even find out something new about your spouse, children or friends as you answer them.
4. Stand Up Comedy
Laughing is the best medicine, and in this case it will help you forget you’ve been in the car for six hours already. You can find whole stand up comedy specials on Youtube or Netflix to listen to as you drive! Some of our favorites are Kevin Hart, Aziz Ansari or Dry Bar Comedy.
5. Movies
Growing up we had a van with a DVD player and it was the best time to marathon some of our favorite series like Star Wars. Nowadays, you can stream or download movies to your personal devices and watch movies the whole drive if you want to. No TV needed! Just make sure everything is downloaded in case you go through areas with no cell service.
Everything You Need to Know for a Seamless Road Trip:
- Essentials for a Smooth Cross Country Road Trip
- 7 Essential Tips to Road Tripping with a Baby
- Customizable Two Week Packing List
6. Games
Break up the monotony by playing a fun game together! There are so many car games you can choose from.
- State License Plates: See how many of the 50 state license plates you can spot!
- Bingo: Create a bingo card of things you would find on the road (or find one online) and have fun
- The Alphabet Game: Go through the alphabet by finding letters on surrounding signs, buildings and even license plates!
- Mad Libs: Purchase an inexpensive mad libs book for hours of fun. You simply fill words in (verbs, adjectives, nouns etc) to create hilarious stories.
- 20 Questions: Have one person think of an object, everyone else gets 20 questions to guess the object.
- Car chess, connect 4, or other small games have car versions that you can purchase to play on the go.
7. Read (Listen) to a Book
Chip away at your reading list and download a book to listen to on your drive. Many libraries now have the option to rent out audio books in person or even on an app. Then you don’t even have to spend any money or leave the house to have tons of book options to choose from.
8. Take a Nap
Take a break and relax for a little while. Make yourself as comfortable as possible using pillows, blankets or even jackets and bags. If the driver is ok with it try playing some more relaxing music to make sleep come easier. This is one of the best things to do on a long car ride because it eats up time and then if the driver needs a break you will be rested and can switch off driving.
9. Call a Family Member or Friend
Take the extra time on your hands and call someone you haven’t talked to in a while to catch up. Or just talk to some family even if you do talk to them all the time! You may eventually run out of conversation topics with the people in the car, this can bring up new topics!
10. Research Your Destination
Instead of thinking about how boring the car is, get excited about your destination. Use your smartphone to look up all the amazing things you can do once you arrive. I also recommend looking up places to eat or unique foods to the area, you don’t want to miss out on something amazing because you didn’t know about it.
11. Car Friendly Craft
Work on a hobby or car friendly craft as you drive. You could crochet, knit, color or really anything you enjoy doing that can be done in the car.
Shop Road Trip Must Haves:
12. Eat!!
One of the best parts of road tripping is all the snacks! Stock up on sweet and salty food that you everyone enjoys. Fruit, chips and candy are easily portable and delicious but something more filling is also important. Save some snacks to break out later in the drive when you start getting restless.
13. Portable Games
Bring along your portable video games like the switch or other device that you can play in the car. I used to love getting to play my nintendo in the car all day long when I was younger. More often nowadays I download games to my phone that I can play as we drive.
14. Learn a Language
Pick up some CD’s or sign up for a language app and practice learning a new language! Have you been thinking about learning to speak a new language? This is such a great time to practice or even start for the first time.
15. Stop at a Weird Roadside Attraction
It’s about the journey not the destination right? A road trip doesn’t have to simply be endured, it can be enjoyed! Find fun or unique places to stop along your route if you have the time. These can be popular spots in cities or in nature or you can look online at roadsideamerica or atlasobscura to find hidden gems!
16. Edit Photos
Take some time to edit your photos as you drive. Especially on your way home from vacation you’ll have so many new fun pictures that you can edit. Then you can post them on social media too if you want to!
17. Be Productive
Sometimes those long hours on the road can feel like wasted time, but it doesn’t have to be! Leave some car friendly tasks undone that you can do in the car. Create a meal plan for your vacation or once you get home. If you are feeling really ambitious you can even order groceries. Another great option is to spend some time organizing emails or pictures. I don’t even know the last time I took time to organize mine and I could use it!
Things To Do on a Long Car Ride
Long car rides can be really enjoyable every once in a while. What is the longest car ride you’ve ever done and what is the longest car ride you would ever consider doing? I am willing to drive really long distances if it saves enough money! Hopefully this helps you find a few things to do on a long car ride so you won’t be bored on your next trip!
